Asuka



Sushi BarAs if we haven’t been spending enough money lately, Stacie and I decide that we were going to grab a quick bite to eat after we picked her her car from the shop. We did this partially because I needed to go back to work to finish some things up for the day, which meant I wouldn’t be getting home until late–almost too late to prepare dinner, really.

So, we tried to go to a Chinese restaurant across the street from Midas, but they only took cash (Stacie and I are notorious for never carrying cash). Instead, we decided to check out the sushi restaurant next door, Asuka. Needless to say, entering this Asian food establishment started out better for us this time than it did the last time we opted for Asian. The place was clean and brightly decorated with walnut colored wood and bright paint.

The hostess/waitress asked us where we’d like to sit: in the Sushi Bar or at a hibachi table. You have to understand, we are terrible with making choices. Stacie and I had the “deer-in-headlights” look, but Stacie snapped out quickly and said “Sushi!”

We’re not expert sushi eaters by any stretch, so we stick to some pretty basic things: tuna, salmon, cooked shellfish. About the most exotic thing we get from a sushi bar is eel (though, I do like roe sushi). However, I do know the difference between sushi and sashimi :) (For those who are not in the know: sushi is just dressed rice, so it’s prepared a particular way and dressed with fish or something else; sashimi is just the fish, no rice). So, of course we ordered…

  • 2 pieces of salmon sushi
  • 2 pieces of yellowfin sushi
  • An eel roll (cut into 6 pieces)
  • A crab roll
  • A yellowfin roll
  • A shrimp roll
  • A sweet potato roll

The sushi came out very quickly and beautifully prepared. The fish was perfectly fresh and light. Sweet potato was an interesting choice–essentially, a stick of sweet potato about the size of a french fry, dipped in tempura and fried. It was perhaps just the right amount of sweet to end our meal.

The entire experience was delightful, though it could have been better on our pocketbook. I’m not complaining, because the prices were reasonable and fair–we just should have eaten at home rather than spending even more money. For two soft drinks, and effectively 34 pieces of sushi, the total was $33 after tip. They were running a 20% off sushi today, otherwise it would have been closer to $38. Not sure if that is a regular thing, or if it’s because all the kids are out of town, Spring Breaking it, but I’ll take it.

Asuka is on the corner of 3rd Street and College Mall in Bloomington (IN). Look for it next to the Panera.

Jewel Bako Sushi Bar by ulterior epicure.

0 Responses to “Asuka”


  1. No Comments

Leave a Reply